From bride to CEO: A Vietnamese woman’s inspiring journey in South Korea

The girl from Binh Phuoc Province once thought fondly of South Korea as a land of romance and opportunity, influenced by its music and films.

At 18, she met Lee Yoo Sung through a matchmaking arrangement set up by her uncle. She agreed to marry Lee, provided he would support her university education and financially assist her family in Vietnam.

But reality struck soon after she arrived in South Korea. Pregnancy prevented her from going to school or work, leaving her financially dependent on her husband.

Lee’s income was modest, and he could not fulfill his promise to send money to support her family. Besides, his mother, Kwak Jung Hee, opposed the idea, prioritizing saving for the couple's future.

When her husband's family members left for work every day, Nhi was home alone. She suffered from morning sickness, and South Korean food did not suit her palate.

But she did not dare buy Vietnamese food to satisfy her craving, afraid of overspending money. The distress caused her weight to drop from 46 kg to 39 kg. "It was overwhelming. Being a mother at such a young age and so far from home left me lost and depressed," she recalls.

Thanh Nhi was 18 when she first met her husband, Lee You Sung, at 34. Photo courtesy of Nhi

But she was determined to learn Korean, hoping to find a job one day. In 2017 she was invited to participate in a TV show called "Multicultural Mothers and Daughters-in-law."

"At the time, I agreed to participate with only one goal: securing a sponsored plane ticket to visit my parents in Vietnam," Nhi shares.

The program, filmed in both Vietnam and South Korea, captured the emotional moment as Nhi broke down in tears. She felt sorry for herself for sacrificing her own happiness to marry far from home and still being unable to support her parents as she had hoped.

The broadcast drew widespread sympathy from viewers in South Korea, who criticized her husband and in-laws. Nhi however defended them, saying, "People only see part of the story."

Her decision to marry Lee was her own and came in the face of strong opposition from her teachers and friends. His unremarkable appearance notwithstanding, she had seen in him deep sincerity.

Her father, Duong Dinh Trieu, had in fact tried to dissuade her, expressing concern about the challenges of living abroad. "We can make do with what we have at home. If you go abroad, how will I ever find you?" he asked.

But she was firm. Before leaving Vietnam, she told her father: "This is my life, so please let me have the right to make my own choice."

She was resolute about taking responsibility for her life in South Korea and her marriage.

Though the financial struggles did cause some tension, Nhi’s in-laws treated her with love and respect.

When she asked to work in a factory one time, her mother-in-law, Kwak, refused permission out of concern for her well-being.

After her week-long trip to Vietnam for the wedding Kwak had grown fond of Nhi’s parents and understood her desire to support her family. "But we felt protective of her," she says. "In the beginning, Nhi would sneak off to work."

At first, Nhi worked part-time in a convenience store. She only ate instant noodles to save the 6,000 won (US$4.3) meal box cost. She says: "I was juggling carrying dishes, clearing tables, and cleaning up all at once. Though I often felt dizzy from hunger I could not tell my family as they would never let me work if they knew."

During those days she reflected on her life purpose and why she came to South Korea, and understood the need to make changes. "If I continue to rely on physical work, my life will be the same for the next 10 or 20 years," she thought.

Determined to change things, she ventured into business and began to sell cosmetics online. To gain experience she joined a cosmetics and pharmaceutical company. This time her husband had fully supported her by filling her job applications.

Within two months of joining, Nhi excelled at sales, bringing in revenues of eight billion won ($5.73 million).

Her salary increased from 1.6 million won ($1,150) to 3.4 million won ($2,440). Though she felt the hike did not reflect the value she brought to the company, she stayed for over two years to sharpen her skills and build relationships.

Nhi and her husband during one of their trips in South Korea in 2023. Photo provided by the interviewee

In 2020 Nhi launched her own business. She started by buying goods from supermarkets and reaching out to distribution companies to secure better prices for them.

She set herself a goal of sending 100 emails and messages every day to spa owners and beauty product retailers in Vietnam, inviting them to become her agents.

Recalling the early days of his wife’s start-up journey, Lee says she would often stay up until 3 a.m. responding to messages from customers in Vietnam. Then she would wake up at 6 a.m. and drive two hours to work.

Capitalizing on the growing demand for South Korean cosmetics in Vietnam, Nhi’s company has flourished.

In 2022 she struck it big by expanding into securities and property investments and has recently opened a coffee shop.

"When I first saw one billion won (US$716,660) in my account, I felt it was a miracle," she says. "But after reaching that milestone, moving to four billion and even ten billion happened quickly."

In October 2021 Nhi and her husband appeared in the second season of the TV show "International Couples."

Unlike her previous appearance on TV, she was celebrated as a self-made CEO who was earning five times more than her husband.

Many audience members expressed admiration for her success and happiness. Soon after the program, some entertainment companies approached Nhi with collaboration offers. Initially she was hesitant, but Lee encouraged her to go ahead.

She then signed up with an entertainment agency and began appearing on reality shows. Many of her shows were made to promote Vietnamese cuisine and culture, bringing her heritage into the limelight.

In 2024 she became the lead actress in the eight-episode series "Cheongchun Blues" about a Vietnamese exchange student's career and love life in South Korea.

"At 18 I dreamed of becoming an actress. It was only a dream then as life was full of challenges and struggles. I never imagined that this impossible dream would come true."

Nhi and Lee’s happy family. Photo provided by the interviewee

After 10 years in South Korea Nhi reflects on her first day in the country, when her husband and in-laws welcomed her. "I could not hold back my tears when I saw them. I realized that from then on I would have to walk my own path, and they would be my new family."

According to the South Korean Statistics Office, in 2023 Vietnamese women comprised the largest group of foreign brides, accounting for a full one-third.

Recent data also reveals a sharp rise in the divorce rate among multicultural couples, with 6,000 reported in 2023 alone.

Nhi notes that many of her friends who married South Korean men are divorced due to misunderstandings between spouses and tensions between them and their mothers-in-law.

She feels fortunate that her husband’s family is thoughtful. Her father-in-law, now retired, also helps take care of the household, while her mother-in-law enjoys buying gifts for Nhi.

Both show deep care not only for her but also for her biological parents. She says about her husband: "After ten years of being his wife, marrying him was my best decision ever. He is a devoted husband, a loving father and a caring son. I can proudly say I have a perfect marriage."